142 GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 



and if the buyer should be willing to try it, he miglit purchase 

 only a small quantity at first, and afterwards obtain his full 

 supply with more confidence if the trial showed it to be good. 

 Take two pieces of thick cloth, moisten them with water and 

 place them one upon the other in the bottom of a saucer. Place 

 any number of seeds whicli it is desired to try, upon the cloth, 

 spreading thin, so as not to allow them to cover or toucli each 

 other. Cover them over Avith a third piece of cloth similar to 

 the others and moistened in the same manner. Then place the 

 saucer in a moderately warm place. Sufficient water must be 

 turned on from time to time to keep the three thicknesses of 

 cloth moist, but great care must be taken not to use too much 

 water, as this would destroy the seed. There should be only 

 enough to moisten the cloths, and not enough to allow any to 

 stand in the saucer. Danger from this source may be avoided 

 in a great measure, however, by tipping up the saucer so as to 

 permit any superfluous water in the saucer to drain off. The 

 cloth used for covering may be gently raised each day to watch 

 the progress of the swelling or the moulding of the seeds. The 

 good seed will be found to swell gradually, while the old or 

 poor seed, which has lost its germinating power, will become 

 mouldy in a very few days. In this way, also, any one can judge 

 whether old seed is mixed with new. The latter will germi- 

 nate much more quickly than the former. He can judge, 

 besides, of the quantity which he must sow, since he can tell 

 whether a half, or three-fourths, or the whole will be likely to 

 germinate, and can regulate his sowing accordingly. The seeds 

 of the clovers, if they are new and fresh, will show their germs 

 on the third or fourth day ; other seeds will take a little longer, 

 but till they become coated with moiild there is hope of their 

 germinating. As soon as the mould appears it is decisive, and 

 the seed that moulds is worthless. 



MIXTURES OF GRASS SEED. 



It is difficult to overestimate tlie importance to the farmer of 

 a good selection and proper mixture of grass seeds for the vari- 

 ous purposes of cultivation, for mowing, for soiling, for perma- 

 nent pasturage, or for an alternate crop. 



